1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to adjustable basketball goals and, more particularly, to basketball goals that limit the force exerted on the basketball rim, thereby avoiding damage to the rim and support structure and injury to the player.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Regulation basketball requires a rim elevation of ten (10) feet above the playing surface. The elevation makes participation difficult for children and some adults. An adjustable basketball goal provides different elevations above a playing surface for people of all ages to enjoy the game. However, being able to lower the basketball goal makes the goal much more accessible for dunk shots and for players to hang on the rim.
Prior art basketball goals (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,133,547; 4,801,142; and 4,465,277) utilize complex and expensive designs that include complicated support framework, resilient components, winch assemblies and intricate biasing techniques to absorb the total force exerted upon a basketball rim, irrespective of the magnitude of the force. Simply stated, prior art basketball goal designs absorb the total applied force, then return to their original elevation. Over time, this design required replacing expensive components and substantial downtime to replace the components. It is not uncommon to witness college and professional basketball games during which a player tears off a basketball rim and shatters the fiberglass backboard, or breaks the supporting structure, both examples causing substantial game delays and repair expenses.